João Lourenço went this Monday to the army headquarters, where Paulo Lara's wake took place, leaving a bouquet of flowers next to the urn and signing the book of condolences at the end of the funeral ceremony, according to a note shared on the page. Presidency official on Facebook.
In the book, João Lourenço expressed his regret at the premature death of Paulo Lara, one of the most "distinguished military cadres" in Angola, a "convinced nationalist and a notable promoter of knowledge of the glorious path" that led to the country's independence.
He also highlighted the work of collecting documentation and testimonies about the struggle for Angola's independence, within the scope of the Tchiweka Documentation Association (ATD), of which he was a co-founder and one of its main drivers.
Tchiweka was also the nom de guerre of the historic leader and former founder of the MPLA, the nationalist Lúcio Lara, father of Paulo Lara.
Paulo Lara, who died on March 22, 2022, in Porto, due to illness, at the age of 65, began his military life in 1972, in the province of Cabinda.
After retiring from the army, Paula Lara dedicated herself to teaching and joined the Advanced Center for African Studies at Universidade Agostinho Neto.
He also stood out for the research he carried out on the period of the armed struggle for national liberation and as a mentor and director of the 'Trilhos da Independência' project, which aimed to collect and preserve relevant documents from the memory of the period of Angola's history and the struggle of all peoples under colonial occupation, according to a note from the Political Bureau of the MPLA Central Committee.
